Leap Card users can now enable it to top up automatically

Users of Leap Cards can now program their cards to top up automatically once the balance reaches a certain amount, Ireland’s National Transport Authority has revealed.

The Leap Card is a reusable smart card that can be used instead of paper tickets for public transport services in Dublin.

The new top-up feature is an opt-in addition to the Leap Card’s current ticketing functions, and offers users the ability to automatically reload their card with a pre-determined amount from their bank account.

Registered Leap Card users can opt-in by signing into their online account at Leapcard.ie.

"Commuters who chose it will simply not have to worry about topping up again and can travel easily across the various transport modes served by Leap," Kelly said. "When their leap runs low on credit, it will automatically be topped up from their bank account by the amount they decide.”

Until now, the Leap Card has been rather restricted in terms of topping up online. Users could purchase credit online but would need to visit a pre-determined location to actually load the credit onto the card.

Despite this, the service has proven to be quite successful, with the numbers of commuters using the Leap Card breaking through the 500,000 mark.